Page:Natural History, Birds.djvu/187

174 "We select for illustration of the genus the Concave Hornbill (Buceros cavatus, ), a specimen of which lived for sometime at the menagerie of the Zoological Society in the Regent's Park. It is thus described. The throat and face are black; the neck dirty straw-yellow, the feathers of the nape greatly lengthened: the body and wings black, the quills and their coverts tipped with white; the tail white, crossed with a band of black; its coverts, both above and below, are also white. The feet are black, and the beak yellowish, inclining to scarlet at the tip.

The Concave Hornbill is a native of India, the Himalayan mountains, Java, and most of the great islands adjacent. "Its food," observes Mr. Gould, "like that of other Hornbills, consists of fruits, berries, flesh, and even carrion; in short, it may be considered as strictly omnivorous." Professor Owen remarks that the specimen dissected by him was observed when alive to be more attached to animal than to vegetable food, and would quit any other substance, if a dead mouse were offered to it. This it would swallow entire, after squeezing it twice or thrice with the beak, and no castings were noticed. Petiver, however, has borne testimony to its habit of regurgitation.

Respecting the purpose to be fulfilled by the great size and remarkable appurtenances of the beak in this genus, we have nothing better to offer than ingenious conjectures: as a specimen of which we may quote the remarks of an eminent zoologist, Mr. W. C. L. Martin, though they do not appear to us very satisfactory. "Active and alert, notwithstanding the magnitude of their